Dropped Ash & Tom at DIA, their next stop: Reykjavik, Iceland. [after work] returned to pick up Marty, my first (& only) grandpup. Year-half living with Ro, knew this 2-week reunion would be appreciated by both. BROs reunited!
Spoiled? Well…maybe a little. Pup-Peroni snacks, hot dogs, fried eggs each morning. Eggs are good for their coat, right? 🙂
Short work week, family & friends now gone, weekend plans? A June SNOW hike…of course. Travelled north to Brainard Lake, short 45 minutes away. Generally roads open Memorial Day weekend. No such luck this year.
Originally had hoped to hike Lake Isabelle. 2 mile jaunt to Brainard, beautiful sunshiny skies. Lotta hikers. Brainard still half-frozen. Kicked back & people watched. BIG smiles from BOTH pups. Ro loves the snow, Marty loves to hike.
Circled ‘round Brainard. Met by a wall of snow. No Isabelle in today’s hike forecast.
Home returned via Nederland. In-town cell reception, received another batch of texts from Iceland. Wouldn’t trade our Colorado snow hike…but this particular weekend, think I got aced by Daughter. Volcanic hot springs, Icelandic ponies, oceanside boulder hike, spelunking & whale watching – that doesn’t include a 2-day jet set to London. Well done Ash. Nothing left undone.
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- BROs reunited!
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- Brainard still half-frozen, surrounded by snow
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- yes, dogs do SMILE 🙂
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- HIGH rushing water
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- roads still closed, weekend after Memorial Day
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- no Isabelle in today’s forecast
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- well-rested on Papa’s bed
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- world travelers HOME
Ash & Tom’s Icelandic Adventure
Happy June! 3 months of Colorado summer – bring it on!! (‘though still another half-month to hike our high peaks)
Stephen stayed an extra week after officiating Ash’s wedding – kicked off the month with some Irish music. First stop of Byrne & Kelly’s summer tour: Boulder’s Dairy Arts Center. Byrne & Kelly, members of the group Celtic Thunder AND Neil Byrne, Stephen’s cousin from Bray [Ireland]. Stephen in New Hampshire, his cousin Neil, Ireland – & they meet up in Boulder, Colorado. Kismet, right?
Hadn’t been to Dairy Arts Center since last Fall’s Trail Running Film Festival.
Beautiful sunshiny weather – AWESOME start to Colorado summer, AWESOME nite of music.
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- Boulder’s Dairy Arts Center
Byrne and Kelly
After an almost non-existent winter, jeez the season roared in BIG this past week. No longer a question of snow, but how much precip – and will it affect my morning or evening work commute. ‘Bout time, well overdue 🙂
The mountains? Delayed ski resort openings at Thanksgiving ⇨ now resort closures…too much snow. Avalanche closed I-70 (both directions) half-day last week – 15 feet of snow covered a section of highway. Winter season’s arrived. Been driving the Jeep EVERY day since Christmas & absolutely LOVIN’ it! Sub-zero temps all week – crazy cold.
Migrated to treadmill running to log my daily miles. “Every day’s a run day” – haven’t missed since Christmas Eve.
First weekend home this year. Stay indoors, hunker down with the pup? Heck, no – layered UP & local-hiked NCAR to Chautauqua. Sun rose pink on the Flatirons Saturday morning, fave/most familiar trail trek now snow-hidden. No worries, have hiked this route at night – know it like the back of my hand. Boots, crampons, cap & gloves – GAME ON…first snow hike of 2017!
Battled thin air for a mile; lungs ached ‘til I settled into a healthy rhythm. Handful of 14ers on this hiker’s 2017 wish list. Limiting July & August to one (& only one) marathon/month. Finding balance this year.
Love of mountains, love of running. 2017 – all about achieving: BALANCE.
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- temp check: Friday NOON
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- crazy cold AND crazy windy
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- layered UP & local-hiked NCAR to Chautauqua
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- snow on the Flatirons
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- every day’s a ‘hike’ day 🙂
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- not everyone went hiking — someone road-tripped to Colorado Springs to sample ‘Mrs. Manwarren’s Cinnamon Rolls’ (as seen on Food Network’s ‘Diners, Drive-ins & Dives’)
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- LOVE LOVE this face!
the Big Chill: 2017 sub-zero start
